All-area boys basketball: Hopkins shares the wealth

DeAndre Hopkins of D.W. Daniel High School is the Independent Mail's player of the year for boys basketball after he and the Lions won the Class AAA state championship, the schools first since 1967.

DeAndre Hopkins of D.W. Daniel High School is the Independent Mail's player of the year for boys basketball after he and the Lions won the Class AAA state championship, the schools first since 1967.

CENTRAL - The lasting memory Jeff Maness has of DeAndre Hopkins and his contributions to D.W. Daniel basketball isn't on the court.

It's not a great pass, or an unbelievable shot, it's in an empty locker room at the Colonial Life Arena.

Minutes after the Lions captured their first state championship since 1967, Maness, Daniel's coach, and Hopkins, it's star player, met each other in the team's locker room following the trophy ceremony and media interviews.

Every other player and assistant coach had left.

"I was gathering up my stuff and he came in, and the smile that was on his face, you could just tell he was so happy," Maness said. "Kind of a high five, and kind of a 'Hey, I told you we were going to get it.'"

The coach and do-it-all player briefly recounted the memories of the previous four years together and the relief that a state championship was finally theirs.

For Hopkins, the Anderson Independent-Mail Player of the Year, an admitted serious player on the court, and person off the court, it was a chance to exhale, especially when they saw each other.

"It was a big relief off my shoulders, and I know it was a big relief off coach's shoulders, and when I smiled, as soon as I grinned, he grinned," Hopkins said. "It was great, it was like we both know we've been together for a long time, I'm kind of like his son, and he's kind of like my dad. It was a great feeling for us to be there together, enjoy that moment."

The journey that led them to Columbia to finish off Hopkins' career, was highlighted by a season in which the guard made a conscious effort to involve his teammates more.

A season after Hopkins averaged 18.8 points per game, he averaged just 11.2 points this season, while he went from 6.8 assists last season to 7.3 this season.

Maness said it was in part due to the Lions' talented roster, in which senior Cedrick Smith took over some of the ball-handling duties, freshman guard Justin Dotson had a breakout season, especially in the playoffs, and Daniel saw steady improvement from sophomore center Shaq Lawson and junior guard Antonio Cannon.

"I made it a big priority more than last year, because we've got a lot of good players, and you've got to keep those guys happy," Hopkins said. "You can't have all the points and success yourself. I know I could have had plenty more points than I did, but getting my teammates involved (was a priority), and you saw the outcome of that."

In two games that shaped Daniel's season, at Woodmont and at J.L. Mann, Hopkins was a difference maker.

At Woodmont, in a 69-65 overtime victory, Hopkins had 24 points, eight assists, a rebound and three steals. That was the first game of Daniel's Region 1-AAA schedule and Woodmont ultimately finished second in the region behind Daniel.

At Mann in the third round of the playoffs, Hopkins took on a scoring role for the first time in the postseason, often taking his defender off the dribble to create his own shot. In a standing-room-only road environment with an overflow student section, Hopkins scored 21 points and had six rebounds.

Mann coach Jeff Craft took note of that change in mindset.

"I guess tonight," Craft said after the game. "Being the type of game it was, he felt like he needed to score a little bit more."

Maness said all of his players have the freedom to use different styles of play depending a particular game, but Hopkins' was one of the few that flipped a switch in such a contrasting way.

"I think he's never been about himself and that's one of the great things about him," Maness said. "It's just whatever it takes to win, that's kind of the way it worked this year."

With all that Hopkins has accomplished on the basketball court - starting this season as one of the elite five players in the state in AAA - Maness admitted he has wondered what it'd be like to watch Hopkins play college basketball.

But a year ago Hopkins verbally committed to play football at Clemson, and signed with the football Tigers in February. In doing so, he effectively turned down basketball offers from South Carolina and Florida.

Maness said he'd cheer for Hopkins no matter which sport he plays, and realizes Hopkins' decision was "well-calculated," and included a strong support system.

"He could go over there and contribute majorly now," Maness said of Clemson basketball. "My major thing for him is that he's happy and he's successful. … I would have liked to see Clemson push for him a little harder on the basketball court, but that was their decision, and the football staff's getting a great player. They're getting a great competitor and a winner, and a guy that I think will probably step on that field, and help them a lot. So I'm excited."

Anderson Independent-Mail all-area boys basketball teams

First team

DeAndre Hopkins, senior guard, D.W. Daniel

The Anderson Independent-Mail and Region 1-AAA Player of the Year lowered his scoring average from last season, but involved his teammates more to be the star player on the AAA state championship team.

Fred Mattison, junior forward, Westside

The all-Region 1-AAAA and all-state selection developed an outside game this season and averaged a double-double (15.3 points, 13.8 rebounds) while he increasing absorbed double teams during the second half of the season.

Ronell Crockett, junior guard, T.L. Hanna

The Yellow Jackets' leading scorer averaged 17 points, eight rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals. Crockett was also selected to the all-Region 1-AAAA team and all-state.

Shaq Lawson, sophomore center, Daniel

The lone inside presence for the state champion Lions, Lawson, an all-Region 1-AAA selection, averaged 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and shot 56 percent from the field.

Demetrius Babb, senior guard, Wren

Averaged 19.3 points and 9.7 rebounds, was an all-Region 1-AAAA selection and MVP of the FCA Tipoff Tournament.

Second team

Jericho Jackson, junior point guard, Abbeville

A key playmaker for a team that only lost one game, Jackson averaged 12.8 points, 8.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds and three steals per game. He was an all-Skyline region selection and all-state.

Mayshun Whitner, senior guard, Pendleton

The Bulldogs' best player averaged 12 points, four rebounds and two steals per game. He was a three-time all-Skyline region, and scored 1,000 career points.

Isaac Williamson, junior guard, Walhalla

Skyline region Player of the Year averaged 15.9 points for the region runnerup Razorbacks. Williamson also made the all-state team.

Antonio Cannon, junior guard, Daniel

The best 3-point shooter for the Lions, Cannon averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists per game. He shot 34 percent from 3-point range and made the all-Region 1-AAA team.

Justin Dotson, freshman guard, Daniel

Daniel's top scorer in the playoffs, Dotson averaged 13.5 points and shot 54 percent from the field. Also averaged 6.0 rebounds per game and was an all-Region 1-AAA selection.